The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced plans to expand participation in the 2026 National Research Fair and Exhibition to accelerate the commercialisation of research findings and strengthen collaboration between researchers, industry players and investors.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Dr. Sonny Echono, made the announcement on Friday in Abuja while inaugurating the 2026 National Research Fair and Exhibition Committee.
Echono disclosed that the decision followed the success of the maiden edition of the fair held in November 2024, which showcased innovations from tertiary institutions and created stronger linkages between researchers and industry.
He noted that the inaugural exhibition attracted a large number of exhibitors and produced several innovations that have since been introduced into the Nigerian market.
“Considering the large number of exhibitors that participated in the fair and the number of spin-offs that were mainstreamed into the Nigerian market, we are hopeful that it was also a stimulus for job creation,” he said.
According to him, expanding the fair will provide a bigger platform for Nigerian researchers, inventors and innovators to showcase home-grown technologies and research breakthroughs with commercial potential.
He said the initiative is expected to bridge the gap between research institutions and industry by attracting strategic partnerships, investment opportunities and technology transfer needed to transform research outputs into market-ready products and services.
Echono explained that the reconstituted committee now includes representatives of the organised private sector, innovation hubs, relevant ministries, the Nigerian military, community inventors, the Association of Nigerian Inventors and other stakeholders.
He said the expanded membership would deepen collaboration and ensure wider participation in the exhibition.
“The main goal of the committee is to source, collate and showcase all proven R&D outputs, technologies and products,” he said.
He added that the committee would create an enabling environment for collaboration among angel investors, venture capitalists, intellectual property experts, technology licensing professionals and entrepreneurs to drive the commercialisation of research outputs and facilitate their entry into the Nigerian market and beyond.
The Executive Secretary said the committee would also compile a comprehensive database of research outputs from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and research institutes across the country while selecting technologies for exhibition.
He disclosed that the exhibition would feature an international conference aimed at attracting experts from Africa and other parts of the world.
Echono said participation would not be limited to institutions benefiting from TETFund interventions, noting that every Nigerian with a product, service or invention would be invited to submit entries. He also encouraged previous participants to return with improved innovations and newly developed products.
Responding, the committee’s chairman, Umar Bindir, commended Echono for expanding the committee’s membership to include researchers, industry leaders, inventors and policymakers, describing the approach as an innovation in itself. He pledged that the committee would work diligently to ensure the success of the exhibition and strengthen the link between research and industry.
Earlier, TETFund’s Director of Research and Development and Centres of Excellence, Suleiman Zwingina, said the Fund had supported numerous research projects that produced promising technologies and prototypes requiring commercialisation.
He added that the National Research Fair and Exhibition was established to provide a platform where research outputs attract industry partners and are transformed into products and services capable of addressing Nigeria’s development challenges.
